Chapter 9: Hunted
After getting the money from Norman James was careful to check through the money individually to make sure that he wasn't given fake money or that Norman put trackers in the briefcase. After 6 hours of counting James was certain that the money wasn't bogus and that the case didn't have any trackers. He breathed a sigh of relief once he was a little more sure that Norman wasn't tracking him.
James was still very much on edge considering he had to make such dangerous and high-risk moves to properly establish a strong foundation for himself which meant that he had to go an attract the attention and ire of Norman Osborne of all people. He was scared of what was just around the corner but he knew that there were far worse monsters lingering beyond the scope of Norman's power which gave him the resolve to keep going.
Once James had counted the money he figured it was best to separate the money so that he could give the others involved their 100k and he could use the 700k he had as cash and the remaining 9 million that he would get later from Norman. Once James separated the money he took his remaining 700k and hid it within the box spring under his bed.
James heaved an exhausted sigh as he finished stitching up the box spring. "I just gotta give them the money and focus on finding him..." James said as he finished the last stitch to reseal the box spring.
James exhausted from the events of the day collapses on the bed falling into a deep sleep almost immediately.
Another hour goes as James rests comfortably in his bed completely unaware of the man dressed in all black that lifted the window of his apartment. The lanky figure clad in black slinks from the window to the side of his bed, he quietly reaches for his weapon of choice a knife whose blade is coated in poison. He raises the blade high before plunging the blade deep into Jame's heart. The blood from the wound sprays violently out covering the wall behind his bed and the sheets but not his would-be killer not a drop of blood ever touched the lanky figure of James' killer. The killer watched James for a few more minutes to see if he was still alive but all signs showed that he had the young lad to his untimely death.
The figure calmly walks to the window before quietly exiting through it and closing it on the way out.
James' body lay there without movement for another 5 minutes before he lets out a deep panicked gasp as he desperately tries to bring all the air in the room into his lungs.
"Motherucker! That shit hurt" cried James as the wound on his chest slowly healed.
He had expected retaliation but he didn't expect Norman's retaliation to be so swift. Not to mention the fact that his spider sense didn't activate when the killer had snuck in to kill him.
James tried to quell the pounding in his newly regenerated heart but all he could think about was the case of if his powers were to be revealed to Norman of all people. The beating drum in his chest thumped on as James walked over to his window and stepped out praying to any god in the universe that he could catch up to his would-be killer before it was too late.
James climbed out the window and crawled up to the roof of his building avoiding the onlookers on the sidewalk with his camouflage. Once on the roof, James barely has any time to react when a knife is stabbed in his direction. He jumps back away from the man in black, as he cautiously examines his appearance.
"Who sent you after me man?" James asked on the off chance the guy would answer but of course, the assassin has nothing to as to him. The assassin dashes forward moving with conviction in James' direction. James shot webs at the assassin hoisting him off the ground and dragging him in close for a knockout blow
"Get over here!" James yelled as the assassin was dragged over to him like he weighed nothing. Once the assassin was in close his body turned to smoke and he disappeared, reappearing a few feet away.
"It seems we are one in the same boy," the assassin said with anger and annoyance laced in his tone.
"There's a difference between us, I've got a giant dick," James said grabbing his crotch. The assassin's distaste grew even more as his body shifted into smoke and disappeared from James' sight.
James jumped from where he was to avoid some sneak attack when he felt a pinch at his shoulder. He looked only to see the broken remnants of a knife there with a bewildered assassin holding on to it.
James smiled at the assassin "Whatchu gonna do now asshole!"
"Can you just SHUT THE FUCK UP I can't stand that bastard and you're exactly like him please just shut the fuck up before I fucking kill you!'' the fed-up assassin screeched. His eyes were extremely focused and bloodshot as he stared James down with a primal and animalistic rage.
James, undeterred by the assassin's outburst, maintained his defiant smile, refusing to be intimidated. He recognized the desperation in the assassin's eyes, the weariness of carrying out orders for a man he despised. At that moment, James realized that he had an opportunity to exploit the assassin's anger and turn it to his advantage.
"Come on, buddy. Is that the best you've got?" James taunted, his voice dripping with mockery. "I can see it in your eyes. You're tired of being someone's lackey, aren't you? You want to break free from his control, just like I do."
The assassin's features twisted with a mixture of confusion and anger. He hadn't expected James to read him so accurately. For a fleeting moment, doubt flickered in his eyes. James seized the opportunity, his mind working quickly to devise a plan.
"You see, I'm not so different from you. We're both pawns in Norman's game," James continued, his tone shifting to one of empathy. "But if we work together, we can turn the tables on him. You don't have to be his puppet anymore. We can bring him down together."
The assassin hesitated, his grip on the broken knife loosening. He had been yearning for a way out, a chance to break free from the clutches of Norman Osborne. Perhaps James' proposition offered a glimmer of hope, an escape from the chains that bound him.
"Think about it," James pressed, his voice softer now, laced with sincerity. "We can expose his corruption, bring him to justice. You don't have to be on the wrong side anymore. Help me, and we'll ensure that his reign of terror comes to an end."
The assassin's anger gradually subsided, replaced by a flicker of hope. His gaze locked with James, and in that moment, a silent agreement formed between them. The two adversaries, once on the brink of a deadly confrontation, now found themselves united by a common enemy.
"Fine," the assassin finally conceded, his voice filled with determination. "But don't think I'm doing this for you. We're taking him down together, and then we're going our separate ways."
James nodded, a sense of triumph coursing through his veins. "Deal. Let's give Norman Osborne the surprise of his life."
James extended his hand in a gesture of trust, and the assassin's eyes narrowed with a sinister glint. He had no intention of forming an alliance with James; instead, he saw this as an opportunity to exploit James' trust and use it against him.
Accepting James' handshake, the assassin feigned a genuine smile, concealing his true intentions. Deep down, he relished the chance to bring James down from within, to shatter his trust and crush his spirit.
At that moment the assassin's body slowly turned to smoke as he attempted to fill up James' lungs and suffocate him to death. But before he would even get the chance to fully turn James smirked "I would trust you with a penny much less my life, the only reason I let you get so close is so that I can pummel you into the ground. The handshake squeezed like a lock as James lifted the assassin's body into the air and violently battered him into the roof over and over until his body when limp. A tinge of satisfaction danced upon James' face, a brief respite from the danger that had threatened to consume him.
As the prone and unconscious body lay sprawled upon the rooftop, James' facade of indifference and humor crumbled beneath the weight of what he had endured. The adrenaline, his stalwart ally, began to ebb, exposing the raw vulnerability within him. Tremors coursed through his trembling form as he confronted the true terror and panic that had gripped his very soul.
Inhaling a quivering breath, James tasted the bitter tang of fear upon his tongue. His mind raced, contemplating his next move amidst the tempest of uncertainty that swirled around him.
With a solemn determination, James pushed himself up from the ground, his legs trembling beneath the weight of his harrowing ordeal. Every step he took toward the fallen assassin's body was laden with a mix of raw emotion and resolute purpose. He knew that he had to ensure this perpetrator could never unleash harm upon another innocent soul.
Reaching down, James grasped the lifeless figure, his grip tightening with a vengeful resolve. At that moment, a surge of indomitable fury coursed through his veins. With a sudden, merciless motion, he applied excruciating pressure, crushing the assassin's hands beyond recognition. It was a symbolic act of justice, a visceral declaration that those hands would never again be instruments of violence against the innocent.
The scene unfolded in a chilling silence, the echo of bone and sinew breaking serving as a haunting soundtrack to James' vengeance. His actions spoke volumes, a cathartic release of pent-up rage and a tangible assertion that the reign of terror was over.
Rising from the grueling task, James hoisted the motionless body over his shoulder, its weight serving as a physical manifestation of the burden he carried. He knew that he had done something that would make the world a little bit safer but he couldn't help but wonder how this ordeal would affect the ones closest to this assassin and how he himself would be affected once he was made aware of the life-ruining damage done to him.
Nevertheless, James did the right thing and stopped someone from doing far worse
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This was not my favorite chapter I've ever written. I hope it wasn't too bad.
Also, I feel like my character isn't interacting with enough of the Marvel universe so I definitely plan to do something about that.
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